8 Winter 2024 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption autumn-rugby-5_H.webp ​ Rugby at Mt Somers Linda Butler Campers enjoying a local rugby game at Mt Somers. See p31, A weekend at Mt Somers. ©2024 Linda Butler Up Up 8 Winter 2024 , p 13

2 Summer 2022 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption Mavis at Ocean Beach ​ Finally made it out to Ocean Beach Cheine Matheson Finally made it out to Ocean Beach in Whangarei. Mavis in her natural habitat. ©2022 Cheine Matheson Up Up 2 Summer 2022 , p 30

8 Winter 2024 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption Towards the top of the valley ©2024 Tony Kissel Trying to get my socks dry at Hagens Hut. Trying to get my socks dry at Hagens Hut. ©2024 Tony Kissel Top Hut Top Hut. No toilet but it did have a “poo spade” behind the door. ©2024 Tony Kissel Top Hut Top Hut, you wouldn’t want to be claustrophobic if you were on the top bunk. ©2024 Tony Kissel Down the Valley View down the valley from Top Hut. ©2024 Tony Kissel Towards the top of the valley The view towards the top of the valley from Hagens Hut. ©2024 Tony Kissel ​ To the top of the Ahuriri Valley Tony Kissel A nice walk to the top of the Ahuriri Valley, I had the place to my self. Started to snow behind me as I was walking out. Ahuriri Valley, Omarama, North Otago. Photos ©2024 Tony Kissel Up Up 8 Winter 2024 , p 15

8 Winter 2024 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption ​ A wrap Stephen Wood A wrap. Time to start heading back south after weeks cycling. Bike packed for this afternoon’s bus trip. ©2024 Stephen Wood Up Up 8 Winter 2024 , p 15

3 Autumn 2023 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption ​ A great two weeks at Waihora Domain Linda Butler It was a great two weeks at Waihora Domain in Motukarara. Linda Butler. Photo ©2023 Linda Butler Up Up 3 Autumn 2023 , p 16

7 Autumn 2024 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption The final set up: at the beach. Photos ©2024 Shaun & Jenn 7x4 Pinto Kingsider trailer Photos ©2024 Shaun & Jenn Kiwi Camping Rooftop Tent & Annex We decided to go with a Kiwi Camping Rooftop Tent & Annex as it had the best layout for our family, easy access & the service from them was great. Photos ©2024 Shaun & Jenn Kitchen drawer The second drawer had a chopping board pull out tray that converted to a kitchen sink/washing area, 3 burner gas cooker that sat on the top, plate & cutlery drawer & a back section for other miscellaneous items (eg cooking spray, gas bottle, cleaning supplies etc) Photos ©2024 Shaun & Jenn Two drawers The first drawer was 1 long drawer for waterproof storage boxes which would hold food & other things, the second drawer, the kitchen. Photos ©2024 Shaun & Jenn Frame and drawers ready for the next step. We decided to have a go at making our own camper trailer, as we already had the 7x4 Pinto Kingsider trailer. Photos ©2024 Shaun & Jenn Adding the ACM panels. The most nerve-racking thing of all was attaching the VHB tape to the frame & then securing the ACM panels which was extremely stressful as one false move & it can’t be un-done! Luckily it went without a hitch (& a huge sigh of relief) & the frame was finally together. Photos ©2024 Shaun & Jenn Gas struts. I went searching for gas struts for the rear door but after having a lot of factors to consider, I decided to get a professional to install them. Photos ©2024 Shaun & Jenn Window and side door. I am glad I did install the side door as it’s proved very beneficial during wetter weather as you can load everything from inside the tent/annex straight into the camper without it getting wet. Photos ©2024 Shaun & Jenn Curtains Photos ©2024 Shaun & Jenn Lights, pockets, extras. Photos ©2024 Shaun & Jenn Pockets on the wall. Bed set up. Photos ©2024 Shaun & Jenn North Island Photos ©2024 Shaun & Jenn South Island Photos ©2024 Shaun & Jenn It all started with a chance conversation Kiwi camping with a difference Shaun & Jenn It all started with a chance conversation with friends about a special birthday coming up (I won’t mention which one!) & the fact that I wanted to take my wife & kids on a trip to the South Island over Easter 2023 as our boys had never been. Being on a budget, we decided that camping was our best option but our current set-up/pack-down time was way too long & we always took way too much gear to fit in our car, plus we wanted to take the bikes & kayak as well. With our friends already having a tear drop camper (and an extremely fast set-up/pack-down time), we decided to have a go at making our own camper trailer, as we already had the 7x4 Pinto Kingsider trailer. I’d always wanted to make a lockable cover of sorts for it so my mind started working overtime with all the possibilities. After spending many hours watching YouTube videos to help with ideas on how to build one and things to incorporate, I formulated a plan. I would build a collapsible box for the top of the trailer that could be stored flat when not in use so that the trailer could still be multi-purpose. I decided to make the frame out of 25mm galvanised steel & would clad the outside in ACM panels (aka Signboard), held on with VHB tape (for those that don’t know — it’s basically double-sided tape which was scary to think that it would do the job but I was assured that it would). I wanted to ensure that the hinges on the doors would be fully waterproof so chose Centaflex hinges & they work great. The roof would then drop down on top of the frame to secure everything in place (along with a couple of bolts & homemade roof-racks) & then we attached the rooftop tent on top of that with quick release hinges. We ended up purchasing the roof top tent first as we could still use it while building the camper trailer. After looking at all the options, we decided to go with a Kiwi Camping Rooftop Tent & Annex as it had the best layout for our family, easy access & the service from them was great. Plus, the height profile of it when packed away suited our needs too, as height of the entire unit was something we needed to take into account as we wanted to be able to store it in our garage. The drawers were next to be made & after much input from my family (mostly from my wife!) on how they needed to operate (she wanted all the bells & whistles, lol!) I drew up a sketch on how it should look & am proud to say that it came out looking pretty much like it. Not being a woodworker, I stumbled along & got it done with the basic tools I had (& plenty of cursing), but it worked & I got the drawers finished. The first drawer was 1 long drawer for waterproof storage boxes which would hold food & other things, the second drawer had a chopping board pull out tray that converted to a kitchen sink/washing area, 3 burner gas cooker that sat on the top, plate & cutlery drawer & a back section for other miscellaneous items (eg cooking spray, gas bottle, cleaning supplies etc). I also made the back section of floor removable so that we could access anything that we stored under the floor at the front of the trailer which allowed room for the gazebo & other larger items. After not having much luck with a company getting back to me on welding the frame (I waited at least 2 months or more),family & friends came to the rescue & got it all done for me just before Christmas 2022. The sides, ends & roof were all attached together using riv nuts for easy dismantling later & foam tape for weatherproofing. Finding some of the hardware for the doors/hinges/easy release tent mounts proved to be very challenging & took up a lot of time & gas but as the weeks went by the collection of items grew until we had everything we needed. Next it was time to do the most nerve-racking thing of all & attach the VHB tape to the frame & then secure the ACM panels which was extremely stressful as one false move & it can’t be un-done! Luckily it went without a hitch (& a huge sigh of relief) & the frame was finally together. I then fitted quick release brackets for the roof-top tent on the homemade roof-racks & fixed it to the roof. I also mounted a solar panel near the back of the trailer that could be multi-directional to capture as much sunlight as possible. I wanted to make sure that there was side access to the camper trailer so I also installed a side door that could be accessed from inside the annex of the roof-top tent along with a small window on the opposite side for outside views & airflow. I installed a couple of extra air vents for additional air circulation too. I am glad I did install the side door as it’s proved very beneficial during wetter weather as you can load everything from inside the tent/annex straight into the camper without it getting wet. Last but not least, I went searching for gas struts for the rear door but after having a lot of factors to consider, I decided to get a professional to install them (& I’m glad I did) as they work extremely well. We added a couple of finishing touches (eg. LED Lights for inside the trailer & above the cooking area, Mosquito nets/flyscreens on the doors, window curtains, wall pockets for phones/books/torches/tissues etc) & then decided to make a quick run down to Miranda campground (Firth of Thames) for a weekend to test it out before going away on our big trip. It worked great & with a few extra things added when we got home: we were ready for our big trip! So, 3 weeks, 5000km We left from Auckland, drove down to Wellington via New Plymouth, got the ferry over to the South Island & then travelled around visiting lots of different (& amazing) places before making the return trip home. We clocked up at least 5,000kms! Some of our favourite places to visit were Hanmer Springs, Kaikoura, Christchurch, Dunedin, The Catlins, penguin & seal colonies, Te Anau, Manapouri, Doubtful Sound, Queenstown, The Wanaka Toy Museum, the Clay Cliffs at Omarama, Lake Tekapo & we couldn’t resist a stay at Lake Taupo Holiday Resort on the way home (they have the best hot pools & a swim-up bar). Our little camping trailer survived the trip & actually went really well — so much so that we’ve used it a lot ever since! The only thing we would have done differently would be to spend longer in each place as there’s soo much beautiful countryside to see & activities to explore. Even though we’re very close to being fully self sufficient — we don’t have a self-containment certificate — but instead of staying in packed campgrounds we prefer the serenity of a basic campsite. Photos ©2024 Shaun & Jenn Up Up 7 Autumn 2024 , p 23

3 Autumn 2023 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption Twilight view ©2023 Dave Adamson Hard stand park by the lake. Playground Cabins View over the lake ​ The new Driftaway camping ground Heather Auckram The new Driftaway camping ground at Frankton in Queenstown. I have stayed in a car, and in a tent. Dogs are welcome. There are bbqs, a playground for kids, breathtaking views over Lake Wakatipu from the dining area, swimming in the lake and a hot tub for adults. A nice place to go for a treat. Heather Auckram Photos ©2023 Heather Auckran, Dave Adamason, Driftaway Up Up 3 Autumn 2023 , p 16

Camping / caravan tips — Setup / packup Previous Next Marty Ireland Do you struggle when you set up your camp or your caravan? We are on to our 3rd caravan but the latest came with a host of manuals for everything like gas stove, fridge, awning etc. so as a specialist assembler and installer, advising others that they should read all instructions provided, I decided to do just that. Now here is a suggestion: just relax, sit down with a coffee and read, even if you do not fully understand, read all the information to get a general overview.Then go and try each appliance until it works and you feel comfortable and confident with it. Do a dummy run on awning or tent set up if you have or can find an area to do this before leaving. It may be a little trying, but as you get each thing down pat, start a set up list with each step in order and have it laminated and ready inside the car, caravan door or tent bag. Label poles with a marker with appropriate numbers or letters and a brief description of which end, or middle etc; or colour code with electricians tape. Tent or awning assembly will become a dream. Have you ever driven off with a support leg still down, or a jockey wheel not retracted, even a power cable still plugged in? Not a good look and it can be both embarrassing and expensive. So do a reverse-order pack-down list too, and stick to it. Having an assistant read out the lists while you do the tasks is a help, both to set up and to pack down. Having a measured plan of your tent or van footprint with awnings and ropes sizes will help you quickly decide on arrival at the holiday site which way to face your tent or van saving a lot of frustration if you find you have to reposition. See my plan, above. A seamless set-up lets you sit down for your first refreshment early, and the satisfaction of doing it both quickly and without forgetting anything is very rewarding. Watching new arrivals go through the same process can be cheap entertainment, however offering to assist with your experience and wisdom is a pleasure in itself. Happy and safe camping all. Download these files if you would find them helpful: My sheet (print it A4, double sided and laminate; pdf). The .doc version of my sheet , to edit and make it your own. Or the .rtf version . The awning assembly order sheet (pdf). The awning space sheet (pdf). A blank awning space sheet to put in your own measurements (pdf). ​ Previous Next Record the spacing needed for your awning Record the order and lengths for your awning ropes Laminated sheet Download my laminated sheet. Record the spacing needed for your awning 1/3 Support our advertisers who makes this magazine possible. Advertisment ISSN 2815-827X (Online) | ISSN:2815-8261 (Print) ISSUE 2 editor@campingthekiwiway.org

9 Spring 2024 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption ​ DOC campsites 3: Central NI, game Rhonda Marshall If you have been following our 2024 journey of New Zealand’s DOC campsites through the previous issues, you will notice something quite different with our DOC campsites this time. Firstly, the area of Mid-central North Island has such a vast number of campsites I have had to break it down into a subset of 25 sites for this issue. Secondly, many of these campsites are so remote you can only access them via boat, mountain bike or by foot. If you are the sort of campers who like to get away from everyone else, then these might be just the places you might consider visiting this summer. There are still 8 sites in this list that are accessible by camper/caravan so hopefully something to suit everyone. Enjoy! Instructions In the grid above, can you fill in 12 place names from this list of DOC sites? One site will run vertically as indicated by the shading and the others will fit horizontally across the grid. Camper/caravan: Kaimanawa Road Mangahuia Mangawhero Ohinepane Urchin Waikoko Whakahoro Whakapapa Foot or mountain bike: Bettjemann Hellawell’s Johnson’s Mangapurua Trig Mosley’s Foot only: Mangatepopo Oturere Waihonu boat only: John Coull Maharanui Mangapapa Mangapurua Mangawaiiti Ngaporo Ohauroa Poukaria Tieke Marae/Kainga View the solution Download as PDF 1.3mb Download as image 850kb Download the solution Up Up 9 Spring 2024 , p 32

4 Winter 2023 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption ​ Events ​ For More camps, keep an eye on: allpointscampingnz.org/events ckw.nz/nzfunadventures-events (FB) 23-25 June BOP/East Cape Mid-Winter Christmas Lakes Ranch, Ōwhata, Rotorua Camping with hot pools and a mid winter Christmas pot luck, dessert provided. Ian Read, All Point Camping More ckw.nz/bop-midwinter Venue lakesranch.org.nz RSVP ckw.nz/bop-rsvp 24 June Camp Cook Out Battlehill Farm Forest Park, Wellington Are you a BBQ master, can you tame the flame? Come pit your skills against some of the best amateurs around Wellington. Seriously though it's all for fun and family oriented. There will be two categories: 1 kids kick butt (fun, help allowed, not serious) 2 Braai and fry (international cook off) 3 adults on fire (be prepared to be fully judged) Chose your class, register your attendance and be prepared to sizzle. Jonathan Collins, NZ Fun Adventures FB ckw.nz/camp-cook-out 1 July Mid-Winter Christmas Meet and Greet Fielding Join with All Point Camping Central club members for a fun Mid Winter Christmas dining experience at the 'Famous in Feilding' Murray's Irish Bar. There is a large parking area out the back for overnight sleepers. Ettienne Lambrecht, All Points Camping NZ Camping Club More: ckw.nz/fielding-mid-winter RSVP by 22 June: ckw.nz/fielding-rsvp Up Up 4 Winter 2023 , p 34

9 Spring 2024 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption ©2024 Camping the Kiwi Way ​ In the Spring Issue 9 Editor Steampunk – from North to South and back again: “It’s a chance to get dressed up and some have fun” page 5 The re-build of my Toyota van: I woke up to the smell of the sea and the sun rising. I was bitten by the lifestyle. Page 7 Towing your caravan — tips, tricks and weights: If you are new to towing it is not hard to master. Page 13 Buyer beware: The caravan was only 9 years old. We pawed over the photos, checked questions asked… Page 21 The making of the Black Moa™ A new cassette toilet for small spaces. Page 25 Up Up 9 Spring 2024 , p 3

3 Autumn 2023 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption ​ Marshmallows by the fire Linda Butler MarshmaMallows by the fire. Very memorable. Thanks Gary. January 2023. Wiahora, Motukarara. Up Up 3 Autumn 2023 , p 27